Reduce air pollution for region’s health, economy: Guest commentary

Clean ai­r is a right, not a privilege. A child’s health should not be determined by where they live or how much their parents make. But one-third of Californians still breathe levels of soot and smog that violate U.S. health standards, and cause asthma, cancer, heart attacks and strokes.

These pollutants are also powerful short-term climate change forcers. This is a problem we cannot tolerate. But this problem is solvable with a clear long-term vision for climate policy that protects families and stimulates business innovation.

The 710 Freeway corridor from the Port of Long Beach to East Los Angeles is a microcosm for the problem and the solution. The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles move 40 percent of America’s goods, and pump 800,000 jobs into the state economy. But according to the American Lung Association, this region also ranks No. 1 for the dirtiest air in the country.

We can clean up the air and tackle climate change while making our economy more competitive. In the freight sector, major strides are being made to develop and deploy low- and zero-emission technology for trucks, ships, trains and other heavy-duty equipment in California.

There are similar innovation opportunities throughout California’s economy.

As the president said last month, in announcing new standards for heavy-duty trucks with partners like FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola and Safeway, “You can’t bet against American workers or American industry. You can’t bet against America … when we set broad, ambitious goals for ourselves.”

You certainly can’t bet against California.

In 2006, the state passed Assembly Bill 32, which set a long-term cap on greenhouse gas emissions through 2020. Since then, the clean economy has grown to employ more than 310,000 Californians every day.

The climate pollution we’ve cut since AB 32’s passage is equal to 72 million barrels of oil. A dollar not spent on gasoline creates 16 times more jobs in local businesses, since oil company shareholders tend to live outside of California.

If AB 32 continues to be implemented in its current form, each Californian will spend about $735 less every year on fuel by 2035, and $450 less by 2020. This is also money not spent on health care associated with diseases caused by black carbon and other pollutants — we spend $28 billion every year on emergency room visits, lost days of work and other pollution costs in the South Coast and San Joaquin Valley alone.

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According to a 2013 poll by the Public Policy Institute of California, 80 percent of Californians, including about two-thirds of Republicans, favor a California climate policy that requires immediate emissions reductions from the largest polluters.

It’s time to send a signal, not only to Californians but to the Congress, neighboring states and important trading partners like Mexico and China. Long-term targets to reduce climate pollution in California will make our families healthier and our economy stronger.

To thrive, businesses need to know that if they invest in cleaner air, California will stand with them.

Change isn’t easy. Just ask the automakers, who a decade ago warned of price spikes and job losses when we passed a law requiring cleaner cars. A decade later, the industry is booming and cars are on pace to reach 54 miles per gallon nationwide.

If we hold steady on the current path to 2020, invest in critical sectors of the economy like clean freight, and provide businesses certainty with long-term climate goals, there’s no stopping us.